Three-man rush brought the crowd to a hush

BREAKING, er, BROKEN NEWS: One video-review mechanism is even slower than the CFL’s ponderous procedure.

Over the long weekend, this sedentary scribe re-watched TSN’s telecast of Saturday’s game between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers, expertly applying the knowledge gleaned from zero games of football playing or coaching experience.

The following tidbits and numerical nuggets were extracted from the not-so-instant replay …

• En route to losing 43-40 in overtime, Saskatchewan surrendered all four Winnipeg touchdowns while rushing only three men. And that’s the good news for the Roughriders. It should have been six touchdowns, but Bombers quarterback Matt Nichols barely missed connecting with wide-open receivers Weston Dressler and Clarence Denmark in the end zone. Afterwards, in conversation with TSN’s Lee Jones, Nichols lamented his “two missed lay-up touchdowns.”

• The Roughriders rushed the passer with three on 24 occasions, stymying the Bombers throughout the first quarter. On 15 of those 24 plays, Saskatchewan did prevent Winnipeg’s offence from achieving a positive outcome (defined here as a touchdown, a first down, a first-down play that gains at least five yards, or a second-down play that creates at least a third-and-short). While rushing three, Saskatchewan did register a sack (by Eddie Steele) and an interception (the since-released Jonathan Newsome). But, again, Winnipeg’s biggest plays — and the Riders’ major busts — occurred when Saskatchewan was rushing three.

• In passing situations, the Roughriders rushed with three nearly 60 per cent of the time. The other percentages: Four men (29 per cent), five men (seven per cent) and six men (five per cent). Saskatchewan had one sack while using each of the four approaches.

• Winnipeg’s offence had a positive outcome only 24 per cent of the time when the Roughriders pursued the passer with more than three men.

• Saskatchewan’s offence had a positive outcome on 50.8 per cent of its plays, compared to 39.3 per cent for the Nichols-led Winnipeg attack.

• On an 87-yard scoring bomb, Dressler motored past Kevin Francis and the Roughriders did not have another layer of coverage. Dressler later scored from nine yards away without anyone lining up opposite him. It was such an easy touchdown that Winnipeg’s L’Damian Washington was celebrating before the ball even got to Dressler.

• Roughriders tailback Cameron Marshall did a tremendous job of picking up a blitzing Ian Wild to give quarterback Kevin Glenn sufficient time in which to find Nic Demski for a 35-yard touchdown.

• The experience and intelligence of Glenn was evident when he diagnosed a mismatch before the snap and threw a quick pass to Bakari Grant, who was covered by a safety (Taylor Loffler). No contest. Eleven-yard touchdown.

• On the previous play, Caleb Holley was wide open in the end zone, but Glenn opted for a shorter pass to fullback Spencer Moore. He gained 10 yards to set up the TD toss to Grant.

• Saskatchewan’s pass protection was perfect on an 18-yard touchdown toss from Glenn to Holley. Winnipeg rushed with five, sending Sam Hurl on a blitz, and left guard Brendon LaBatte quickly neutralized the Bombers linebacker. Nobody got anywhere near Glenn, who had the luxury of a perfect pocket.

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